


A Little Too Close

by anemptymargin



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: F/M, Goblins, I Ship It, Interspecies Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 04:27:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13628577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anemptymargin/pseuds/anemptymargin
Summary: Episode tag for Campaign 2, Episode 5.After the events of their evening, Caleb comforts Nott and contemplates the nature of their situation and exactly how much their new "friends" can know.





	A Little Too Close

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for C2E5. Yes, I am aware of the negative feelings people have regarding shipping with Nott, and I politely disagree. You are not required to read or enjoy this cute little ficlet and I am not required to be lectured by you about why you believe I'm a horrible person.

The inn is quiet compared to the sounds of devastation still continuing out on the streets, but exhaustion makes it easy to begin drifting off to sleep even before Caleb has shucked off his coat and scarves to bed down. Beau is already snoring, the sound rattling on the floor from where she’s disregarded her bedroll and simply put her head on her pack to sleep at the foot of Jester’s bed. Jester has even calmed down and rolled to one side where Caleb can hear the strokes of pencil on page slowing. Fjord, it seems, has also found sleep quickly and lets out a choked snort as he rolls onto his belly and clasps both arms across his chest in the fit of an early dream perhaps. Molly has yet to return, but Caleb is fairly sure that despite his close call Molly will return.

 

It was a night of close calls, after all.

 

Caleb finally stretches out on the bed, stealing a quick glance around the dark room with a hint of guilt in his heart before wrapping a protective arm around Nott and drawing her back to his chest. She shifts easily, used to his touch and unafraid despite her trembling as he holds her close. “Shh…” He murmurs, burying his face in her hair and nuzzling near the junction of one ear. Her hair reeks of smoke, ash clinging to the dark strands as he idly curls a finger at the nape of her neck. “It’s okay, we’re safe now. You’re all right.”

 

Nott whimpers and her body curls inward, her knees tucking against her belly and brushing Caleb’s arm as he holds her. “I’m sorry…” Her voice is a scratchy, hoarse whisper as the trembling intensifies. “I was just gonna follow them a little bit, I didn’t mean-”

 

“Shh. I know, I know.” Caleb understands where her mind is, the fear of what happened to her in her brush with death. She could have died, they all could have died tonight.

 

As though reading his mind she sobs, “I could have died! I almost did, I know it!”

 

“But you didn’t.” Caleb’s finger drops lower to find the soft spot just where her neck meets with her shoulders and gently strokes her there, waiting for the telltale shift of her small body relaxing against his chest that usually comes. “I am so proud of you, Nott. I need you to remember that. You were so brave and so amazing.” He hesitates a breath, feeling the tremors of Nott’s sobs begin to subside. He whispers against a twitching leathery ear, “You were beautiful.”

 

Another soft sob escapes her throat and Caleb can feel her trying to be quiet and still for the sake of the others and nearly failing to do so. She sniffs loudly but hides it in a cough. “I was scared. I didn’t know what to do.”

 

Letting out the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding, Caleb answers with a soft sigh. “You did everything right. Everything.” She’s calming, but far from sleep and for both of their sakes he knows that sleep must come because morning comes all too soon. The finger caressing her neck lingers a moment longer before sliding down her shoulder and catching at the stitched rags of her dress until his hand dips into her pocket. It’s not the first time he’s navigated the array of baubles that fill her many pockets, but this one is at least relatively empty and after palming his way around something round and metallic he finds the warm flask he is searching for. “Here…” He mutters, unscrewing the cap between his index finger and thumb blindly as he’s done many times before. “Just a little nip to calm the nerves.”

 

“A little nip.” She echoes affirmative, letting Caleb press the flask to her lips as she drinks deeply. It’s far more than a nip, but Caleb knows when the sigh of relief escapes her throat and he withdraws his hand she’s going to make it through the night.

 

He’s not much of a drinker, after all drinking and arcana rarely mix well, but deciding he could use a little false confidence himself, he finishes the last half a shot of whatever alcoholic concoction has become the bottom dregs of Nott’s flask. It tastes awful and burns all the way down to his belly. If he’d eaten more than scant trail rations the last few days he might be sick, as it is hardtack and jerky at least play nice with firewater.

 

Replacing the flask is simple enough, a quick fumble of fingers to finding her pocket, guided by a poorly sewn seam he knows too well. Then Caleb’s hand lingers once more, gently clasping over hip thigh. He’s not sure if he pulls or she pushes, but the outcome is the same and her smaller body has learned to fit comfortably against his chest over their travels. She wriggles under him and Caleb shifts to lean into her, nearly covering her with one solid arm slipping under her shoulder and the other wrapping around her lithe hip and holding her completely.

 

“That’s better.” She sighs tenderly, turning her face to nuzzle into the crook of Caleb’s elbow a long moment. It’s comfortable, but the awkwardness of what anyone who saw them would think nibbles at Caleb greatly. There’s no simple way to explain the complexity of their situation, and he’s known few who would consider it anything short of perversion or insanity on his part. Perhaps these folk, he thinks in his exhausted haze, perhaps they might understand that while Nott may come off as a bit childish or bestial she is in fact a person, a delightful adult person with dreams and hopes and needs. They wouldn’t understand the depth of their care for one another,and that for so long she has been his rock in a cruel and unforgiving world and that while it may be unconventional his love for her is no less quite real.

 

Nott wiggles again, pushing back into his chest and Caleb has to adjust himself with a roll of the hips in a futile attempt to at least appear the paternal visage he has crafted to escape the inevitable questions and taunts that will doubtless come from the mere act of sharing a bed so entwined with her. “I’ve got you.” He murmurs, sliding his hand up to her belly to rub slow circles there. “Always, remember? I’ve got your back, and you’ve got mine.”

 

“Oh… Caleb…” Nott coos, half asleep already from the sound of it. “You always know just what to say.”

 

“Shh.” He answers, daring to move his hand only a little lower, teasing around the joint of her hip. “Time for some rest now.”

 

“Love you…” Her voice drifts, a scratchy whisper that warms Caleb to the core. And then the floorboard squeaks and Caleb freezes, staring out into the darkness as though moonlight and embers could illuminate more than fleeting shadows. For a second he hopes it’s only Beau rolling over, but his gut sinks when it creaks again and he catches a very clear footstep.

 

“Don’t mind me…” Mollymauk whispers and Caleb catches a glint of metal and swish of coat far too close for his comfort as the tiefling throws himself on the next bed.

 

“I don’t.” Caleb whispers in return, body still frozen in place with the fine streak of abject fear. “Good night, then.”

 

“Yeah.” Molly exhales sharply, the hint of an ironic laugh in his voice. “Sure.”

 

Caleb doesn’t breathe until he hears the mattress shift under Molly’s weight and the light rustle of bedclothes, it’s a moment longer before his hand once more slides protectively off Nott’s hip and around her middle to hug her against his chest. Nothing untoward, Caleb, he reminds himself. Just a comforting embrace after a bad night, and Molly’s half drunk by now anyway. Besides, who would actually believe as preposterous a rumor from a carnie’s tongue… even if it were true.

 

He swallows roughly and forces his brain to quiet, listening to Nott’s steady breaths slow until a mild snore rattles against her teeth as he drifts off himself. Morning would come and there would be far worse things to think about, of course. They could be close, it wouldn’t matter when there were gnolls to be slain and deaths to be avoided.

 

With a held breath, Caleb presses a delicate kiss behind one crooked goblin ear and whispers, “Love you too.”


End file.
